Steam trap



May 20, 1930. c. SCHAER I 1,759,066

STEAM TRAP Filed Oct. '15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 k INVENTI J 6M um EN N IOWIM M A'I'I'El RN EYE c. SCHAER May 20, 1930.

STEAM TRAP Filed Oct. 15,- 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 R mpw N M E 2 V z 4 0.

May 20, 1930. c. SCHAER 5 STEAM TRAP v Filed Oct. 15, 12527 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTEIRI 6M, SJJAW ougmim 1Tu RN 5Y5.

Patented May 20, 1930 stars CHARLES SCHAER, OF LANGENTHAL, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM OF SUL- ZER nannies, SOCIETE ANONYME,

F WINTERTHUR, SWITZERLAND srEAivr TRAP Application filed October 15, 1927, Serial No. 226,286, and in Switzerland October 23, 1926.

This invention relates to steam traps of the kind provided with a float which actuates a valve controlling the flow of fluid under pressure to a power piston acting on a valve through whiclrthe discharge of the condensate from the trap takes place.

In prior arrangements the discharge valve has usually been immersed in the condensate. Arran ements have, however, been previously proposed in which the discharge valve was at all times in contact with steam except during the discharge period while in a still further arrangement the power piston acted upon an adjustable dipping pipe in such a 5 manner that at all times, except during the discharge period, the dipping pipe was in contact only with steam but during the discharge period was lowered into the condensate. With this latter arrangement there were necessarily a number of surfaces between which relative motion took place but which were not lubricated, with the result that trouble, such as seizing was apt to occur in operation.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the friction between the moving parts as far as possible and to ensure reliable working of the apparatusby a suitable arrangement and lubrication of the discharge controlling member by the condensate.

According to this invention the power piston is formed as a unit with the discharge valve and is disposed in a chamber which communicates with the lower or condensatecontaining portion of the steam trap thus avoiding the necessity for immersing the discharge valve during the discharge period. The member constituting the power piston and discharge valve is preferably in the form of a diiier'ential piston, one end of which is exposed to the steam pressure'in the trap while the other end is exposed to atmospheric pressure or to the pressure in the discharge pipe during the filling period and to the pressure of the condensate during the dis.-

charge period.

The valve controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from the power piston is conveniently actuated from the float through a weighted lever adapted to be moved over'its dead centre by'the float and'then to drop under its own Weight into its final position so as to efiect a rapid movementof the valve.

II" desired a counting apparatus may be provided adapted to be operated by movements of the weighted lever or of the 'float so as tov enable thetrap to be utilized as a measuring device for the condensate.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one construction according to this inventionis illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the complete steam trap and control apparatus,

Figure 2 is a section on the line II of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the mechanism for transmitting the movements of the float to the valve controlled thereby, V

Figure 4 is a side elevation of theappa ratus shown in Figure 3, y p 1 Figure 5 is a front elevation of the valve casing shown in Figure '3 with the cover 7 removed,

' Figure 6 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a section on the line III- III of Figure 5.v V

In the construction illustrated the apparatus comprises a container 1 for the condensate provided with a cover 2 and having mounted thereon a casing 3 containing 'a member4 constituting a combined discharge valve andpower piston, the casing'3 being closed at its upper end by a cover plate 5. The water of condensation fiows into the container 1 through an inlet opening 6 while the condensate is adapted to be discharged from time to time through a pipe 7 communicating with the interior of the valve casing 3 through an opening 50 adapted to be controlled by a piston valve 19 constituting the lower end of. the member 4:,the lower face of this piston valve being acted upon by the pressure in the container 1. The upper end of the member 4: is formed as a piston 17 of larger diameter than the piston 19 and adapted to be acted upon by pressure fluid admitted through a pipe 16 as shown in Figure 2.

When the member 4 is in its lower or discharge position as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that the condensate can flow out through the pipe 7, opening 50 and easing 3 and be discharged through the pipe 8.

During the filling period the pipe 16 is open to the pressure of the atmosphere or to the discharge pipe 8 and thus the member 4 will normally be maintained in its raised or closed position owing to the pressure within the container 1 acting on the piston 19. When discharge is to take place however, the pipe 16 is automatically placed in communication with a pipe 15 communicating with the lower portion of the container 1 through suitable valve apparatus controlled by-a float 10, the construction and operation of which is hereinafter described. The mem-- ber 4 is thus moved downwards owing to the piston 17 being of larger diameter than the piston 19 thus permitting the condensate to be discharged through the pipe 7 under the pressure in the container 1.

The float 10 is mounted on a horizontal spindle 9 which also carries a lever 11 adapted to act on projections 12, 12* formed on a lever 13 pivoted at 21 to a casing 14 and carrying a weight 28, the casing 14 being closed by a cover 36 and connected with the lower portion of the container 1 by the pipe 15. The arrangement is such that the float 10 moves the lever 13 until it passes its dead centre position, whereupon the lever falls under its own weight into its final position. A stop pin 22 is provided into contact with which abutments 51, 52 are adapted to come when the lever is in its position of rest respectively on one side and the other of its dead centre.

The lever 13 is adapted to act on pins 24, 25 extending laterally from a rocking lever 26 rigidly mounted on a spindle 27 which is supported in and extends into a chamber 44 in the interior of the casing 14. Mounted on the spindle 27 within the chamber 44 is an arm-like member 37 in which is carried a valve member 38 pressed into engagement with a valve facing 41 within the casing by means of a spring 40 abutting against a member 39. Formed in the valve face 41 is an opening 42 communicating with the pipe 16 and an opening 43 communicating through a pipe 18 with the pipe 8. A stufiing box 49 adjustable by means of a screw cap or gland 48 ensures a pressure-tight joint between the spindle 27 and the casing.

The arrangement is such that in one position of the lever 26 the valve member 28 closes the opening 43 and opens the passage 42 to the interior of the chamber 44 and hence forms communication between the pipe 16 and the pipe 15 and permits condensate to flow under pressure so as to act on the upper face of the piston 17. The valve member 4 is thus moved downwards into the position shown in Figure 2. In the other position of the lever 27 the valve member 38 forms com munication between the openings 42 and 43 and thus permits fluid to flow from the pipe 16 out through the pipes 18 and 8 under the action of the piston 19 which is forced upwards by the pressure of the steam in the container when the pressure is removed from the upper face of the piston 17.

Mounted on the casing 14 is a counting mechanism 20 having a spindle 32 adapted to be rocked by the movement of the lever 13 so as to count the number of times the container is filled and emptied. To this end the spindle 32 has secured thereto a twoarmed lever 33, 34 the arm 33 of which is weighted at 35 so as normally to maintain; the lever in the position shown in Figure 3. Mounted on the lever 13 is a tappet 29 which normally rests against a step 30 this tappet being so arranged that when the lever 13 swings from right to left in Figure 3, the tappet strikes the arm 34 of the lever 33 and thus causes it to rock and operate the counting mechanism. 011 the return movement of the lever 13 the tappet 29 yields and does not operate the lever 34, a pin 31 being provided to prevent the tappet 29 swinging over its dead centre. It will thus be seen that the counting mechanism is only operated once for each complete filling and emptying operation of the trap.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows The water separated from the steam passes through the inlet 6 into the container 1 and thereby raises the float 10, the member 4 in the meantime being maintained in its raised position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 so as to close the discharge opening 50. As the fioat rises it acts through the lever 11 on the lever 13 and when the float has risen sufficiently to move the lever 13 over its dead centre this lever falls under its own weight and acts on the lever 26 so as to rock it and thus move the valve 38 to close the pipe 18 and form communication between the pipes 15 and 16 through the chamber 44.

The condensate is thus permitted to flow through the pipe 15, chamber 44 and pipe 16 so as to act on the piston 17, whereby this piston is forced down. Communication is thus formed between the pipes 7 and 8 whereupon the condensate is discharged under its own pressure through these pipes. As the condensate is discharged the float 10 sinks and thus raises the lever 13 until this lever has again moved over its dead centre. The lever 13 then drops under its own weight and rocks the lever 26 into its other position so as to form communication between the pipes 16 and 18 whereupon the pressure is released from the piston 17 thereby permitting the member 4 to be moved upwards by the pressure acting on the piston 19. The opening 50 is thus closed and discharge of the condensate is cut off. I

The container 1 then again commences to fill and the cycle of operations described above is repeated. As pointed out the counting mechanism is operated once for each complete cycle of operations and thus keeps a record of the number of times the container has been filled and emptied whereby the quantity of condensate collected can be calculated. 7

It will be seen that with an apparatus according to this invention the power piston and discharge valve are formed as a single member so that the apparatus is considerably simplified more particularly as regards the number of moving parts. At the same time lubrication of the power piston and valve by the condensate is ensured in spite of their being arranged in the steam space of the con-' tainer and therefore not being exposed to the flowing condensate.

I claim 1. In a steam trap the combination of a float,'a discharge valve for the condensate, and a power actuated piston combined with the discharge valve and constituting therewith a diflerential piston member disposed in a chamber communicating with the lower or condensate-containing part of the trap during discharge of the condensate, a portion of the difierential piston member I intermediate the ends thereof controlling the discharge of the condensate being arranged inter mediate the ends thereof.

2. In a steam trap the combination with a float, a discharge valve for the condensate and a power actuated piston combined with the discharge valve and disposed in a chamber continuously communicating with the lower or condensate-containing part of the trap, the member constituting the power piston and discharge valve being in the form of a differential piston, one end of which is exposed to the steam pressure in the trap, the other end to atmospheric pressure during the filling period and to the pressure of the condensateduring the discharge period.

3. In a steam trap the combination with a float, a discharge valve for the condensate and a power actuated piston combined with the discharge valve and disposed in a chamber continuously communicating with the lower or condensate-containing part of the trap, the member constituting the power pis- 4. A steam trap as set forth in claim 1 characterized by the provision of a pivoted lever operatively connected to said float, a weighted lever adapted to be actuated by said first named lever when said float is moved, a tappet mounted on said weighted lever, a counting device, and an operating member on said counting device adapted to-be engaged by said tappet when said weighted lever is moved.

g 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the provision of a valve continuously communicating with the chamber and controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from thepower piston, said valve being actuated from the float through a weighted lever.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the provision of a differential piston'member having the portion controlling the condensate discharge arranged between a portion adapted to be exposed to the pressure of a power fluid and a portion exposed to the steam pressure in the trap.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

' CHARLES SGI-IAER.

ton and discharge valve being in the form of a differential piston, one end of which is exposed to' the steam pressure in the trap, the

" other end to the pressure in the discharge pipe during the filling periodand to the pressure of the condensate during the discharge period. r. a 

